Recipes
Meringa Estiva
Italian Summer Pudding
This Italian summer pudding has to be my favourite dessert because it combines the essence of summer, embodied in a variety of berries, with the meringue, which gives a nice dry and sweet texture. I serve it regularly, but have to resort occasionally to using cultivated berries, although I can assure you that wild ones taste much better.
Ideally the meringue should be piped into the shape of a cornucopia, a tapering 'container' for the berries, but it's probably easier to make rounds with a depression in the centre.
Minestrone
Vegetable Soup
The name of this famous soup derives from 'minestra' meaning 'soup'. (In many parts of Italy minestra means 'green'). It is found all over the country, and all the regions have their own variations, suffixed alla milanese, alla Genovese, alla piemontese etc.
Nocciole d'Agnello con Carciofi
Noisettes of Lamb with Artichokes
Noisettes are the most tender cut of lamb and, in this recipe, they should be accompanied by equally tender artichokes. It is during the spring that you will be able to find these tender artichokes which, prepared in Pinzimonio, can even be eaten raw. But you can substitute canned artichoke hearts.
Pane Casereccio
Rustic Pugliese Bread
Nothing is thrown away in an Italian kitchen. Housewives often create works of art with leftovers! Pane casereccio is made using all sorts of leftovers of cheese and meat which are still good to eat but too tough to slice. You can use any type of hard cheese, from grated Parmesan to pecorino, provolone or scamorza. Oddments of salami, ham or sausages can also be included.
Panforte di Siena
Spiced Fruit and Nut Cake
This is perhaps one of the oldest sweets in Italy, dating back through the centuries to the introduction of new spices from afar, via the naval port of Pisa. Panforte is sticky but irresistible, and is normally eaten in winter, perhaps with coffee and liqueurs after a meal. A small piece is sufficient to tell you about the complexity of the spices used at that time.
Panzanella Marinara
Summer Bread Salad
Here is a simple recipe that includes all the elements of the healthy Mediterranean diet. The ingredients are almost always available in a Southern Italian household and do not cost very much. It is often made with frisella but my mother used leftover bread, dried in the oven the better to absorb the juice of the ripe tomatoes. Ideal as a starter on a summer's day.
Panzanella o Fresella
Bread and Tomato Salad
This is a typical summer dish from the region of Campania, combining a salad and a snack. The bread content is a twice-baked granary bread called “fresella”, which has a delicate toasty taste. The genuine product can be found in good Italian delicatessens, or you can make it yourself at home.
Pasta all'Uovo
Basic Pasta Dough
The ideal proportions for the best home-made pasta dough are one large egg for every 115g (4oz) flour, but variations in temperature and humidity as well as in the in the ingredients themselves may produce slightly different textures. You may need to vary the quantity of flour slightly: the thing to aim for is a dough which has been kneaded until it is perfectly smooth and elastic, yet firm.
Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta and Bean Soup
This is the best-known peasant dish in Italy. Every region has a version, but the Veneti, Trentini and Tirolesi have elevated it to a dish smart enough for posh restaurant menus. For me, it is the benchmark of a good chef-because it is so simple, it must be perfect.
Patate Fritte con Aglio e Rosmarino
Fried Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
This simple but effective dish is a typically Italian way of cooking potatoes, making the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of roast meat. The combination of rosemary and garlic give an unmistakably Italian flavour.